Improvement in locomotives



4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

l. V. MUGS.'

Luomuive.`

Patented May H, |875.

fajff W1 mfESS ES Q W l THE GRAPHIC C0.PMOTULITH.33 3:41 PARK PLACLNAC Locomotive. No.163 228. Patented May11,1o75.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0.LITN.39 &41 PARK PLAGEJLY.

4 Sheets--Sheet 3. l. V. MEIGS.

Locomotive. 110.163,228, Paiemed May11,1s75.

INVENTOR ./ltlurney TH E GRAPHIC CILPH OTO LITH39 8 41 PARK PLAGE, N.Y.

4 Sheets--Sheetl Il. V'. MEIGS.

Locomotive. No. 163,228, Patented Mayunan.

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THE GRAPHIC CD.PHOTOLITH.39 81.41 PARK PLACEJLY.

NiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOE V. MEIGS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 63,228, dated May l1, 1875; application led May 16, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, J on V. Mmes, of Lowell, Massachusetts, have invented certain Im provements in Uars, Locomotives, and Trucks adapted for use on elevated railways, of which the following is a specification:

The first part of my invention4 relates to trucks adapted to run upon an elevated rail. Its objects are to secure a rm adhesion ofthe trucks to the tracks. To do this I construct the trucks with two or more wheels, arranged on horizontal axes, one behind the other, 1n the line of the rail, in bearings in the truck, to run upon the rail, and support the weight of the truck. I also mount two wheels, one above the other, on axes in frames depending from the truck on each side of the rail, to bear upon the vertical sides thereof, and resist lateral displacement. Each wheel bears upon its respective stringer-heam, thus giving a broad bearing-surface, and economizing ex-- pense of construction.

The object of the next part of my invention is to enable the wheels to conform to sinuosities in the track; to which end I attach the wheels to a turn-table capable of swinging freely on its axis, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The object ofthe next part of my invention is to render the cars easy riding without interfering with their capacity to follow curves in the road; to which end I interpose between the truck-frame proper and the turn-table above mentioned interlocking tubes or cylinders capable of sliding endwise, each over its fellow, and containing springs to deaden shocks, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The object of the next part of my invention is to prevent the cars from being thrown from the track by the removal or breakage of a rail, or even ofa short section ofthe supporting-way itself. This desideratum l attain by interposing between the trucks ateach end of a car a supplementary wheel or Wheels to sustain the car in the center while one end may be unsupported. This roller, moreover, being mounted 1n a swinging frame, readily conforms to curves in the track.

rlhe next part of my invention relates to the the cross-head frame, to enable the engine to follouT curvesin the road without disturbing itsworking.

My invention further consists ina novel method of varying the pressure of' the driving-wheels upon the rail, by moving their `shafts laterally in their bearings.

My invention further consists in a method of rendering the balancing-wheels self-adjusting by means of springs bearing on the boxes of their shafts.

My invention further consists in a novel method ot' arranging the boiler, engines, and tank upon the door of the locomotive, with the boiler and cylinders between the tank and the driving-wheels. My inventions enable me to use very wide cars and to build very cheap sin glo-track railroads, and dispense with thevuse of iron rails, though they may be used if desired. It brings the car-door upon an elevated rail above the trucks, and straddles the trucks upon the single track so that they cannot run off. 0f course, double rails can be used where one of them acts simply as a guide, or, by very peculiar construction, double tracks might be used with my system of Way in between them.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown all my improvements as embodied in the best way now known to me. Obviously, some of these improvements may be used without the others, and their details of construction may be varied within certain limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the truck and of aportion of the track; Fig. 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3, an end elevation thereof. Fig. 4 shows a side elevation of the safetytruck. Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the locomotive. Fig. 6 shows the details of construction of a modified form of trackpFig. 7 shows a plan view of an eccentric-ring and operating-gearing for regulating the pressure of the side wheels upon the rail. Fig. 8 shows an end elevation, partly in section, through a modified form of truck, in which a single set of side wheels only is shown, one

n beingrepresentedasa driving-wheel andthe i W n g Y* Y truck-frames-one behind the other-inbxesYV otherl as having the clamping arrangement shown in Fig. 7 adapted thereto. Fig. 9 shows another method of clamping the wheels upon the track by means of a worm-wheel and geared cams. Fig. 10 shows a side elevation of a T-rail track, with clamping-wheels running on its under side, and with the clampingapparatus shown in Fig. 9 applied thereto. Fig. 11 shows an end view of the same. Fig. 12 is an end view of the rail. Fig. 13 shows a transverse section; and Fig. 14, a plan of Fig. 4. Fig. 15 represents a mode of clamping the driving-wheels of Fig. 5; Fig. 16, a view in detail, partly in section, showing the spring for rendering one of the balancingwheels self-adjustable, to keep it always against the side of the rail.

My new system of constructing and operating railways comprehends the use of a single track or rail, of wood, preferably, supported upon posts of a height varying according to the undulations ofthe surface, or the use to which it is to be applied. Rails of iron may be used. A single square rail may be employed, as in Fig. 8, or a T-rail, as in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. I prefer, however, the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, both inclusive, in which two rails, rectangular in cross-section, are arranged one above the other,.with an interval between, or in contact, as this method of construction affords a wide bearing-surface for the side wheels. The posts-I may be piles driven into the ground, or they may be secured and braced in anyy of the various ways, well known to engineers, according to the nature of the earth, several such modes being illustrated in various figures of the drawings. The switching is done by pivoting one end of a short section of the track so that its other end may be swung from one track to another. The rails may be composed of compound beams, if preferred, instead of solid timbers. On the under side of the car-body Z, and near each end thereof, a circularl bed-plate, A, having internally projecting flanges a, is secured. A turn-table, B, is provided with lugs, correspondin g t-o the iiang'es a, above mentioned, so that the bed-plate and turn-table may be interlocked by inserting the lugs in the intervals between the tlan ges, and turning the table until the lugs. rest on the flanges, when the table will be supported vertically, and yet, at the same time, be free to turn horizontally. A central collar on the bed-plate ts on a stud or king-bolt, o, on the turn-table B, to afford firm. support, and prevent breakage of the iianges.` `This turn-table .is connected with the truck-frame M N by means of tubes G, attached to the table, sliding over posts D on the truck-frame. Springs are inclosed in these tubes to prevent shocks. Chains may also be used to connect the turn-table or car and truck, and prevent them from becoming separated.

... Wheels E Y* are mountedW centrally in the K. These wheels run upon the rail, aud'support the mainl portion of the weight of the car. They are, by preference, made with plane broad treads without flanges, thus enabling them to move freely laterally without strain. Figs. 10 and 11 show one such wheel to each truck.

The adhesion of the car to the rails is secured by means of clamping or balancing wheels. In Figs. 2 and 3 these wheels H are shown as mounted in pairs-one above the other-on vertical axes, secured underneath the truck-frames M N, one wheel of each set bearing against the side of its respective rail. Any tendency of the cars to upset is thus effectually counterbalanced by the pressure of the wheel upon the rail. The clamping pressure of these wheels upon the rails is regulated by devices hereinafter described. These wheels may also constitute thedrivin g-wheels, as here inafter explained. rIhe swinging of the truck will enable the wheels to follow curves of very short radiuses; but it is obvious that even with rigid trucks, curves of very short radiusescould be followed without binding, by wheels bearing upon the side of the track, as do those shown at H in Figs. 2 and 3, when pro-- vided with springs, as shown in Fig. 16, bearing on the boxes of their shafts, or by other means, as hereinafter explained; Fenders I, which may be part of the truck-frame which supports the axes of the wheels H, or may be made separate, protect the wheels H from in# jury.

shown. as turning on a shaft, h, supported inan eccentric ring, h1, connected by links, with a gear, h2, actuated by a worm-wheel to move the shaft closer to or farther from the track. A rubber ring maybe interposed between the eccentric and gear ring to secure elasticity.

Figs. 9, l0, and 11 show the shaft h as movable up and down in its bearings, its movable box h3 carrying a geared sector-cam, fi, gear-4 ing into a similar one, t1, on the truck-frame. A worm-wheel, i2, actuates a sector fixed on the same shaft as the sector-cam t3, so that the pressure may be regulated by adjusting the relation of the cams, as is well understood. x

To prevent accidents from broken rails, I mount one or more bearing-wheels, C', Figs. 4, 17, and 18, in a frame, B', turning on a king-bolt, o', in front, and supported in rear by a guide flange, A', constructed like the plate A, hereinbefore described, and curved in the are of a circle, of which the king-bolt o' forms the center. The truck is thus securely held vertically, but free to swing laterally to follow curves. This wheel being between the trucks serves as a support, so that in case a short section of the track were removed this wheel, and the truck at one end of the car, would support it, while the other truck passed over the gap. The trucks would then support the car, as usual, until the supporting wheel passed the gap, when it and the forward truck, already over, would sustain the rear end of the car, and allow the hind trucks to ride safely over the gap. The advantages of such an arrangement are obvious. Suitable springs may be interposed between the frame B' and car-body to deaden shocks.

Upon the floor Y, Fig. 5, of the frame Z I mount tanks, Q, of proper forni. The boiler R is located between the cylinders G, the piston-rods D of which actuate slides F reciprocating longitudinally in guides G' on the frame. These slides carry cross-heads H1, slotted transversely to receive sliding blocks I, in

' which the wrists of the cranks H2 of the driving-wheels turn. The entire sliding frame P' in which these driving-wheels are mounted slides freely laterally in guides to accommodate itself to curves in the track Without interferin g with the working of the driving mechanism, this non-interference being due to the peculiar combination above described ofthe reciprocating cross-heads, sliding blocks, and driving-cranks.

The wheels in Fig. 5 are shown as clamped upon the track by means of a lever, J, under the frame, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, and in detail in Fig. 19,) attached to the boxes which carry one set ofwheels, and acted upon by a chain wound upon a drum moved by a gear, K', and worm-wheel L, the latter being moved by a hand-wheel, M',actuated by the driver.

All of the clamping mechanism above described is mounted upon the laterally-slidin g frame P' above mentioned.

The throttle-valves, gage-cocks, reversinglevers, 8vo., ma-y be located in anyA position suiting the convenience of the constructor.

The driving and clamping or balancing wheels may be pressed upon` the track by the direct pressure of steam, air, water, or other fluid, (admitted through pipes b, Fig. 3,) upon their. movable boxes inV a way which would readily suggest itself to a skillful constructor.

The track may be elevated only the height above the ground to admit of the passage of the trucks over it, or it may be elevated above the sidewalks so as to permit it to be used in cities for passenger trafc, and at the crossing of roads, Src., to permit them to go under it.

The system of side adhesion which I use admits of my cars being driven up any incline from vertical to horizontal, and this fact will enable me to construct single-arch bridges of any span desirable, the only condition of safety being that they be held vertical by suitable guys, or bridges may be constructed of cross-trussses without further timber, thus reducing cost and Weight very much. My system also admits of telegraph-lines being run between the posts, so as to show ahead coming trains and misplacement of switches or broken track. No dust will be experienced, and an elasticity of track will be secured that will protect passenger 'and ear from wear and tear.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a swivel-truck, hearing-wheels mounted thereon to run on a rail, and adjustable clamping or balancing wheels mounted on the truck, and bearing upon the vertical sides of the rail, as set forth.

2. The combination of two rails, one above the ot-her, a truck, bearing-wheels mounted thereon, one behind the other, and adjustable clamping or balancing wheels, one above the other, and bearing on opposite vertical sides of the rails, as set forth.

3. The combination of a truckframe, a turntable, bearing-wheels adapted to run on top of the rail, and clamping or balancing wheels to run on the side of the rail, as set forth.

4. The combination of the turn-table, the truck-frame, the posts, the overlapping sliding tubes, and the springs inclosed therein, as set forth.

5. A supplementary supporting wheel or truck interposed between and combined with the end trucks, whereby one end of the car may be supported, While the other may be projected across a gap in the track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

6. rlhe method of propelling cars by driving from the clamping-wheels instead of from the bearin g-wheels, substantially as set forth.

7. rlhe combination of longitudinally-reciprocatin g transversely-slotted cross-heads, and blocks sliding in said slots, and carrying the wrists of the driving-cranks, as set forth.

8. The method of mounting the driving- Wheels in a frame adapted to slide laterally, to accommodate itself to curves in the track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The method of varying the pressure of In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub the driving or of the balancing or clamping scribed my name.

Wheels upon the track by shafts laterally adjustable in the truck-frame, as set forth. JOE V. MEIGS.

10. The method of constructing a locomotive with the cylinders and boiler between the Witnesses: Y

tank and driving-wheels, all combined as set LAURIN MARTIN,

forth. lWM. B. RICHARDSON. 

